Self-propelled wheel.



G. P. LINDBROTH. SELF PROPELLBD WHEEL. APPLQIOATION $11.21) APR. 1a,1913.

1,101,201 Patented June 23, 1914 3 SHEET8SHEET 1.

61 775172 acmzia COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

0. F. LINDEROTH. SELF PROPELLBD WHEEL. APPLICATION IILED APR. 18, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3mm 0.1 7 L L'ndemfiv.

COLUMBIA PLANauRAinq COWWYASHINU'I'ON. n. c

G.. F. LINDBROTH.

SELF PROPELLED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

0. F72, z'ruzaroth 1 My 5W Mo l/neg COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.,\vAsH|NOTON,D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL F.. LINDEROTH, 01 SAN iznnnnnnrno, centres-win, ASSIGNOB, TOno'rAiav TRACTOR COMPANY, INC on SAN BERNARDINO, onmronma. a CORPORATIONOF GALIFORNIA= SELF-PROPELLED WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL F. Linnnno'rn, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Bernardino, in the county of San Bernardino and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-FropelledlVheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in self-propelled wheels and hasparticular application to an electric motor driven wheel.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide aself-propelled wheel which will in itself constitute a power unit andwhereby when the wheel is applied to a vehicle such wheel may beemployed for traction and steering purposes.

It is also my purpose to provide a selfcontained power wheel which willembody in its construction among other features a hollow wheel structureand an electrically propelled motor incased in such wheel structure andfixed therein against movement, driving connections being establishedbetween the armature shaft of the motor and the wheel so that in theoperation of the motor power will be transmitted to the wheel structureto propel the latter.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a self-propelled wheel which will embracethe desired features of simplicity, efficiency, and durability and whichmay be manufactured, installed and maintained at a minimum exense. IViththe above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in andfalling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough a wheel constructed in accordance with the present invention,the wheel support being shown partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view through the wheel taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a vertical sectional view through a modified form of selfpropelledwheel, and Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view taken through themodified form of wheel at right angles to Fig. 3.

I11 the present instance, I have shown my improved self-propelled wheelas employed for traction purposes. I wish it to be understood, however,that my invention in its useful application is not limited to thisparticular purpose, as the same may be employed as a belt pulley orother form of driver or prime mover.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the numeral 1designates a bracket designed to be fastened in some suit able manner tothe chassis of the motor vehicle and formed with vertically aliningbearings 2, 2 designed to receive the trunnions 3 of a vertical stud i,the latter being equipped with a steering lever 5 whereby the stud maybe rotated within its bearings.

The numeral 6 designates an inverted U- shaped support or fork havingone limb thereof suitably fastened to or formed iiitegral with the stud1 and designed to swing with such stud in the movement of the latterunder the action of the steering lever 5.

Disposed within the support 6 is a hollow wheel structure 7 composed, inthe present instance, of an annular rim or tire 8 having the annularflanges 9 of angle iron rivet-ed or otherwise connected thereto adjacentto the opposite edges and on the inner surface thereof, and side plates10, 10 each bolted or otherwise suitably connected to the inwardlyextending flange of the respective angle iron adjacent to the marginaledge thereof, as at 11. Arranged within the hollow wheel structure 7 isan electric motor 12 of any desired construction having the armatureshaft 13 thereof extending outwardly of the side plates 10, 10 of thewheel, while inclosing the motor 12 within the wheel structure is acasing or housing 14:. This casing or housing and the motor 12 carriedthereby are designed to be held within the wheel structure againstrotation and for this purpose a connection is established between oneside of the housing and. the adjacent limb of the support 6. Inv thepresent instance, this connection comprises an annulus 15 passed throughan opening formed centrally in the side plate 10 and provided at itsinner end with a circumferentially extending flange 16 bolt-ed as at 17or otherwise suitably connected with the adjacent wall. of the casing 1%and surrounding the respective end of the armature shaft 13, a bushingor the like 18 being interposed between the inner wall of the annulus 15and the respective end of the armature shaft.

Surrounding the outer end portion of the annulus 15 is a collar 19formed at its outer extremity with an outwardly projecting cir- PatentedJune 23, 191-1.

cumferential flange designed to be connected to the respective limb ofthe support 1 (5 and provided at its inner end with an outwardlyextending annular flange 21 spaced apart from the flange 16 secured tothe 110115- ing 14L within the wheel structure to form a way for ananti-friction bearing 22 suitably fastenedto the plate 10 and disposedwithin the opening therein, thereby forming a bearing for the inner sideof the hollow wheel structure. The opposite side plate 10 of the wheelstructure is formed with a central opening coaxial with the opening inthe other plate and bolted or otherwise suitably fastenedto theouterside plate of the wheel structure and surrounding the opening thereiii is an angle iron annulus surrounding the adjacent end of thearmature shaft 13 and separated therefrom by means of a bushing The adjjacent limb of the support 6 carries an antr riction bearing 25 receivingthe outwardly extending flange of the angle iron annulus 23 therebyenabling the end of I the armature shaft 13 within such annulus to forma. bearing within the opposite side of thewheel.

In the present instance, the driving connections between the motor andthe wheel structure '7 comprise a pinion 26 keyed upon the armatureshaft 13 between'the respective side of the housing 14. and the outerbearing 2?, and an internal gear 27 suitably fastened to' and carried bythe inwardly extending flange of the angle iron 9 at the outer side ofthe wheel, gear wheels 28 meshing with said internal gear 27 and pinion26 whereby in the rotation of the armature shaft motion willbeimpartedto the wheel structure. In this instance, the gear wheels 28are rotatable about studs 29 carried by the adjacent side of the motorhousing l4. It is conceivable, however, that these gear wheels 28 may bejournaled upon suitable stub shafts carried by the adjacent side plate10 of the wheel.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, Isubstitute for the gear connections, between the armature shaft of themotor and the wheel structure, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a chain drivecomposed of a. sprocketwheel 30 keyed upon the armature shaft 1 26, anda shaft 31 jouri'laled in suitable aliningbearings 32, 32 carried by theperiphery of the housing 14. a sprocket wheel 33 being keyed upon oneextremity of the shaft 31, an endless chain 34 being trained over thesprocket wheels 30 and 33 so that in the rotation ofthe sprocket wheel30 under the action of the motor, a rotary movement will Keyed upon 5 85meshing l with the internal gear 27 carried by the rim be imparted tothe shaft this shaft 31 is a gear pinion of the wheel structure. Thus,as the motor 3 in place of the gearpinion is placed in operation and isheld stationary incident to the connection between the same and thewheel support, it will be seen that the wheel structure will bepropelled.'

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing myinvention will be readily apparent.

' It will be seen that I have provided a selfpropelled wheel wherein thedriving motor is held stationary while the wheel structure inclosingsuch driving motor will rotate thereabout in the operation of the motor.Furthermore, it will be observed that the connection between the motorhousing and the wheel support whereby the motor housing is heldstationary forms a bearing for one side of the wheel, while the oppositeex tremity of the armature shaft of the motor constitutes a bearingfor-the opposite side of the wheel.

In the'practice of my invention, the motor may be supplied with currentin any suitable manner and from any appropriate source.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred forms of myinvention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understoodthat I donot limit or confine myself to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification and variation may bemade within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

In a self-propelled wheel. a hollow wheel structure, a support for saidwheel, a motor within the wheel structure and having the arn'i'atureshaft thereof extending outwardly through the opposite sides of thewheel structure, a casing inclosing said motor, a rigid connectionbetween said casing and support. said connection comprising an annulussurrounding the adjacent end of the armature i shaft. a circumferentialflange formed on the l inner end of said annulus, a connection betweensaid flange and the adjacent side of l the motor casing. a collarsul'rouiuling said l annulus at the outer side of the wheel strucl tureand a circumferential flange formed on said collar and spaced apart fromthe firsti mentioned flange to form a race-way, and ldriving connectionsbetween the other end i of the armature shaft and said wheel struc- Iture. Il In testimony whereof I afl'ix my signature 5 in presence of twowitnesses.

CARL F. LINDEROTH.

lVitnesses FRED H. NET'I, M. Nnrr.

cap!" of this patent may be obtained for an cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

" Walhlngton, n. 0.!

